HOUSTON — The Houston Astros salvaged a split of their six-game road trip with a victory at Texas on Wednesday Terrell Edmunds Color Rush Jersey , setting the stage for what could be the most critical stretch of their schedule.

Houston returns to Minute Maid Park on Thursday to host the opener of a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox and an 11-game homestand that will carry the Astros (57-31) into the All-Star break.

Following their team record-tying 12-game winning streak last month, the Astros have gone a pedestrian 8-6. They have been unable to shake the Seattle Mariners (55-32) in the chase for the American League West pennant and remain behind the Boston Red Sox (59-29) and New York Yankees (56-28) in pursuit of the best record in the majors.

The Astros could gain significant ground in the standings with a dominating homestand facing two teams below .500, the White Sox and Detroit Tigers (38-50), sandwiched around a four-game series against the Oakland Athletics, against whom Houston is 8-1 this season.

Houston rallied from a four-run deficit to complete the sweep of its two-game set with the Rangers with a 5-4 win. The bullpen was vital, with right-handers Will Harris, Collin McHugh and Ken Giles combining for five innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits and zero walks.

The Astros have performed inconsistently since their winning streak, with injuries (shortstop Carlos Correa) and slumps (outfielder George Springer and super utility Marwin Gonzalez) yielding uneven play. Rectifying matters at home against inferior competition might cure ills.

Right-hander Justin Verlander (9-4 http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brian-o_neill-jersey , 2.12 ERA) will open the homestand for the Astros. Verlander has suffered consecutive losses, allowing nine runs on 16 hits and three walks with 14 strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays during the final week of June.

Verlander has surrendered at least three runs in four of five starts after doing so only once over his first 13 starts. He is 21-13 with a 3.74 ERA over 43 career starts against Chicago.

The White Sox will counter with left-hander Carlos Rodon (1-3, 4.55 ERA), who will make his sixth start of the season. Rodon made his season debut on June 9 at Boston and allowed a season-high five runs in his last outing, surrendering six hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in a 13-4 loss at Texas.

Rodon is 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA over four career starts against the Astros.

With their 7-4 loss in Cincinnati to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, the White Sox (30-56) will conclude their stretch of 13 games in 13 days with the four-game series against the Astros. Chicago entered the series finale at Cincinnati with its starters providing the fewest innings in the AL; right-handed starter Dylan Covey continued that trend by working only 3 2/3 innings.

Combine that strenuous bullpen workload with the lack of off-days, and the White Sox will look to Rodon to not only provide a quality start on Thursday but a lengthy one as well.

WASHINGTON — The name of the arena has changed since the last time the Toronto Raptors visited the Washington Wizards in the playoffs.

That is not all.

Three years after getting swept by the Wizards in the first round of the playoffs — with the final two games coming at then Verizon Center — the Raptors roll into Capital One Arena on Friday night with a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven series.

“We had some tough experiences out there, especially in the playoffs, right?” Jonas Valanciunas told the Toronto Sun after Thursday’s practice.

In 2015, the No. 5 Wizards — led by veteran Paul Pierce — pulled off a what was a mild upset of the No. 4 Raptors Josh Tomlin Cleveland Indians Jersey , closing out the series with a 31-point rout.

This time out, the No. 8 Wizards, who played a large chunk of the season without point guard John Wall, were again thought capable of upsetting the now top-seeded Raptors, but haven’t shown evidence of that.

Toronto, meanwhile, appears comfortable being the hunted and are up 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time in their history.

“A few years ago, we had to have that (underdog) mentality, that chip on our shoulder mentality, or else Barkevious Mingo Color Rush Jersey ,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told the Toronto Globe and Mail. “So we’re growing, I think our guys are developing a mental toughness that you have to have to be the favorite.”

The Raptors ensured the Wizards wouldn’t steal a game in Toronto by exploiting Washington’s defense for seven 3-pointers and 44 points in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s 130-119 victory. Washington, which trailed by as many as 23, pulled within 113-108 in fourth quarter before Toronto unleashed a 19-4 run.

“We are shooting ourselves in the foot coming out to slow starts, allowing guys to get open threes, allowing guys to get those shots, allowing guys to get layups,” Bradley Beal told the Washington Post. “It has to be one or the other. We can’t give up 3s and layups, or we’re going to be down 20 in the first quarter.”

One bright spot for the Wizards was reserve Mike Scott, who had 20 points off the bench and was on the floor when Washington rallied.

“When we go small, Mike’s a guy that can shoot from the 3, and then they switch smalls on him, he can definitely score in the post,” Wall said.

The move could increase the inside advantage for a Toronto team that outrebounded Washington 48-34 in Game 2.

The Wizards could also use more offense from Beal, who is 11 of 28 in two games.

“That’s a littlHOUSTON — The Houston Astros salvaged a split of their six-game road trip with a victory at Texas on Wednesday Terrell Edmunds Color Rush Jersey , setting the stage for what could be the most critical stretch of their schedule.

Houston returns to Minute Maid Park on Thursday to host the opener of a four-game series with the Chicago White Sox and an 11-game homestand that will carry the Astros (57-31) into the All-Star break.

Following their team record-tying 12-game winning streak last month, the Astros have gone a pedestrian 8-6. They have been unable to shake the Seattle Mariners (55-32) in the chase for the American League West pennant and remain behind the Boston Red Sox (59-29) and New York Yankees (56-28) in pursuit of the best record in the majors.

The Astros could gain significant ground in the standings with a dominating homestand facing two teams below .500, the White Sox and Detroit Tigers (38-50), sandwiched around a four-game series against the Oakland Athletics, against whom Houston is 8-1 this season.

Houston rallied from a four-run deficit to complete the sweep of its two-game set with the Rangers with a 5-4 win. The bullpen was vital, with right-handers Will Harris, Collin McHugh and Ken Giles combining for five innings of scoreless relief, allowing three hits and zero walks.

The Astros have performed inconsistently since their winning streak, with injuries (shortstop Carlos Correa) and slumps (outfielder George Springer and super utility Marwin Gonzalez) yielding uneven play. Rectifying matters at home against inferior competition might cure ills.

Right-hander Justin Verlander (9-4 http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brian-o_neill-jersey , 2.12 ERA) will open the homestand for the Astros. Verlander has suffered consecutive losses, allowing nine runs on 16 hits and three walks with 14 strikeouts over 11 2/3 innings against the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays during the final week of June.

Verlander has surrendered at least three runs in four of five starts after doing so only once over his first 13 starts. He is 21-13 with a 3.74 ERA over 43 career starts against Chicago.

The White Sox will counter with left-hander Carlos Rodon (1-3, 4.55 ERA), who will make his sixth start of the season. Rodon made his season debut on June 9 at Boston and allowed a season-high five runs in his last outing, surrendering six hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings in a 13-4 loss at Texas.

Rodon is 1-0 with a 1.71 ERA over four career starts against the Astros.

With their 7-4 loss in Cincinnati to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, the White Sox (30-56) will conclude their stretch of 13 games in 13 days with the four-game series against the Astros. Chicago entered the series finale at Cincinnati with its starters providing the fewest innings in the AL; right-handed starter Dylan Covey continued that trend by working only 3 2/3 innings.

Combine that strenuous bullpen workload with the lack of off-days, and the White Sox will look to Rodon to not only provide a quality start on Thursday but a lengthy one as well.

WASHINGTON — The name of the arena has changed since the last time the Toronto Raptors visited the Washington Wizards in the playoffs.

That is not all.

Three years after getting swept by the Wizards in the first round of the playoffs — with the final two games coming at then Verizon Center — the Raptors roll into Capital One Arena on Friday night with a 2-0 edge in the best-of-seven series.

“We had some tough experiences out there, especially in the playoffs, right?” Jonas Valanciunas told the Toronto Sun after Thursday’s practice.

In 2015, the No. 5 Wizards — led by veteran Paul Pierce — pulled off a what was a mild upset of the No. 4 Raptors Josh Tomlin Cleveland Indians Jersey , closing out the series with a 31-point rout.

This time out, the No. 8 Wizards, who played a large chunk of the season without point guard John Wall, were again thought capable of upsetting the now top-seeded Raptors, but haven’t shown evidence of that.

Toronto, meanwhile, appears comfortable being the hunted and are up 2-0 in a playoff series for the first time in their history.

“A few years ago, we had to have that (underdog) mentality, that chip on our shoulder mentality, or else Barkevious Mingo Color Rush Jersey ,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey told the Toronto Globe and Mail. “So we’re growing, I think our guys are developing a mental toughness that you have to have to be the favorite.”

The Raptors ensured the Wizards wouldn’t steal a game in Toronto by exploiting Washington’s defense for seven 3-pointers and 44 points in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s 130-119 victory. Washington, which trailed by as many as 23, pulled within 113-108 in fourth quarter before Toronto unleashed a 19-4 run.

“We are shooting ourselves in the foot coming out to slow starts, allowing guys to get open threes, allowing guys to get those shots, allowing guys to get layups,” Bradley Beal told the Washington Post. “It has to be one or the other. We can’t give up 3s and layups, or we’re going to be down 20 in the first quarter.”

One bright spot for the Wizards was reserve Mike Scott, who had 20 points off the bench and was on the floor when Washington rallied.

“When we go small, Mike’s a guy that can shoot from the 3, and then they switch smalls on him, he can definitely score in the post,” Wall said.

The move could increase the inside advantage for a Toronto team that outrebounded Washington 48-34 in Game 2.

The Wizards could also use more offense from Beal, who is 11 of 28 in two games.

“That’s a little bit on him, a little bit on me, a little bit on John (Wall). We need him,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks told the Globe and Mail. “We’re going to have trouble beating this team if he’s not going to play better. And he will.”

Washington did not enjoy a strong home-court advantage this season James Paxton Seattle Mariners Jersey , posting a 23-18 record at Capital One Arena, but Casey is ready for the worst.

“It’s going to be a hostile environment,” Casey told the Globe and Mail. “They’re going to be playing in a desperate mode, we’ve got to continue to be hungry, we’ve got to continue to go in with a fighter’s mentality to start the game as we did at home.”

.e bit on him, a little bit on me, a little bit on John (Wall). We need him,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks told the Globe and Mail. “We’re going to have trouble beating this team if he’s not going to play better. And he will.”

Washington did not enjoy a strong home-court advantage this season James Paxton Seattle Mariners Jersey , posting a 23-18 record at Capital One Arena, but Casey is ready for the worst.

“It’s going to be a hostile environment,” Casey told the Globe and Mail. “They’re going to be playing in a desperate mode, we’ve got to continue to be hungry, we’ve got to continue to go in with a fighter’s mentality to start the game as we did at home.”